The two ocean-loving nations of Monaco and Nauru, the world’s smallest official republic, have formally established diplomatic relations following a meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
On 21st May, the Republic of Nauru became the 159th state to officiate diplomatic relations with the Principality of Monaco.
Isabelle Picco, Monaco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, met and co-signed the agreement with her Nauruan counterpart, Margo Deiye, during an official Nauru Mission to the US by representatives of the micro-state in Micronesia.
The island nation, which has been a member of the United Nations since 1999, covers just 21km2 and has a population of around 11,000. It is the world’s smallest republic and the third smallest country, after the Vatican City and Monaco itself.
Given its location in Oceania, near the equator, Nauru is increasingly feeling the threats of climate change, particularly extreme heat waves and rising sea levels.
During the recent meeting between Picco and Deiye, the Permanent Representatives are understood to have discussed several topics of common interest, such as “the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, and the sharing of benefits for developing countries within the framework of the High Seas Treaty”.
The Arrow Burger joint on the Rock of Monaco has made it onto Big 7 Travel’s list of the 50 Best Burgers in Europe.
Big 7 Travel, which shares the latest travel trends and insider tourist tips with its global audience, recently shared its rankings of the best burgers on the continent. The list is a compilation of team favourites and recommendations from social media users, and features 50 of the juiciest and most mouthwatering burgers that can be found in European destinations.
Monaco’s Arrow Burger, which can be found on Rue des Carmes, not far from the Palais Princier, has achieved a very respectable 34th place on the list.
This award-winning burger joint has been a favourite with locals and visitors to the Principality since it opened in 2015.
Described by Big 7 Travel as “the best around for miles”, Arrow Burger’s menu includes the likes of the Arrow Smoke NY BBQ, a delectable blend of beef patty, crispy bacon and smoked cheddar; the Arrow Viking, with a beef patty, jalapenos, toasted onions and a tangy relish; the Arrow Western Onion, dripping in melted cheddar with a crispy chicken and potato galette filling; and the Arrow Pulled, with pulled pork, cream cheese, bacon and onions rings. The signature house sauce is a must-try too.
Arrow’s beef patties are made from freshly ground Angus beef and all of its burgers are served in a perfectly baked homemade pain brioche bun.
Elsewhere in the list, two French burger restaurants, Red Bear ‘n’ Burger in Compiegne and Junk Burgers in Paris, are ranked as the seventh and 24th best burger spots in Europe.
To try the continent’s top-ranked burger, meat lovers will have to travel to Vienna’s XO Grill, where they can enjoy beef from ‘Xtra Old Austrian’ dairy cows, which live until around 15 years of age.
Arrow Burger offers delivery throughout the Principality and the neighbouring French communes. For more information and to explore the menu for yourself, click here.
Da Valentino has all the hallmarks of a successful Maya restaurant – great food, impeccable service and a cosy yet elegant design. But there’s a new attraction that’s setting this Italian restaurant apart from the rest.
Positioned on the corner of 27 Avenue Princess Grace, in the space that was once MayaJah, Da Valentino promises to “bring Italian glamour to Monaco”.
We can see this in the finely crafted woodwork and panel decoration; the tables and seating that are arranged in intimate alcoves, providing privacy while still immersing guests in the restaurant’s vibrant ambience; the large crystal chandeliers that guide you from one area to another; and the charming room at the back that evokes the golden years of Italian cinema, with beautifully framed black and white photographs on the walls.
This luxurious setting is accented with touches of red, rosso passione, evident in the glasses, candles and other subtle tableware elements.
“Comfortable, cosy and elegant” is how Richard Maria, General Director of the Maya Collection, describes it, adding, “It is not one more Italian restaurant in Monaco. We are offering more than just a place to go and eat. Da Valentino has entertainment, fun, cosiness and gastronomy.”
The back room of Da Valentino is an elegant celebration of Italian cinema
Bringing back aperitivo
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Da Valentino is its commitment to that coveted cultural ritual – the aperitivo.
For centuries, Italians have said “cin cin” over drinks and appetizers in the early evening hours between work and dinner. At Da Valentino, this treasured pastime is taken to a new level with artisanal cocktails served in an elegant lounge-bar, more than 20 wines on offer by the glass and the most delicious selection of cured hams, Italian breads and cheeses, olive oil and scrumptious bite-size treats.
Accompanying this are live grand piano performances every evening from 5.30pm.
The restaurant also boasts a huge selection of wine bottles at cellar price, so apertivo can be as expensive, or affordable, as you desire.
At 8.30pm, a DJ takes over from the pianist and the vibe once again shifts in Da Valentino.
Da Valentino is bringing back the Italian favourite ‘apertivo’, Monaco style
Keeping the classics
There’s a saying when it comes to cooking: “Don’t mess with the classics”. Thankfully, Da Valentino remains true to the rich flavours and warmth of Southern Italy. Fresh, vibrant market produce is prepared with contemporary techniques, light cooking, herbs and olive oil, resulting in dishes that are both flavourful and heartfelt.
Vitello tonnato, shrimp cocktail ‘Dolce Vita’, beef carpaccio with summer truffle and asparagus duo… The entrées are as perfectly at home here in Monaco opposite Larvotto Beach as they would be by the sun-kissed shores of Sicily.
The pasta dishes, or primi piatti, are typically robust and bold, with luxurious highlights including lobster or Petrossian Ossetra caviar, while a daily pasta special promises regular surprise.
Other Italian mains, perfected and celebrated over the centuries, include the mixed fried seafood, veal piccata and a double ‘Orecchie d’elefante’ Milanese because, let’s be honest, one veal Milanese is never enough.
The desserts are a feast for the eyes as well as the palate, with each plate beautifully presented as an invitation to explore and savour.
Why replace MayaJah?
The question on everyone’s lips is: “Why did you replace MayaJah?”. Richard Maria explains that the decision to transform the popular Indian restaurant was taken after listening to their customers.
“When we asked clients why they weren’t coming more often, they replied, ‘The service is great, the food is amazing, but the cuisine is very spicy and heavy, so we are not able to come two times per week, but rather once per month.’ Now, people can come and eat Italian cuisine every day of the week.”
And while the cuisine may have switched continents, the affordable lunch deals have stayed the same. Lunch formulas start from €29, including starter, main course, dessert, bottle of water and coffee, or €35 with an added glass of wine.
Taking Da Valentino to the world
The restaurant portfolio of the Maya Collection group is growing at an exponential rate.
“That’s why it was important for us to have an Italian brand in our portfolio,” says the Maya Collection general director. “We export our brands to where people like to go – Dubai, London, Riyadh, Doha and, soon, New York and Miami.”
After Monaco, Da Valentino is set to open in Doha, while the popular Thai-Japanese fusion brand MayBay is due to open in Mykonos and Courchevel.
Elf: The Musical, the Broadway show that has been enchanting audiences since 2010, is coming to Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum for four exceptional performances this November. Tickets are now on sale.
The 2003 film starring Will Ferrell as the naïve and gentle Buddy Hobbs captivated audiences around the world as soon as it arrived on cinema screens.
Adapted for the stage in 2010 by Bob Martin and Thomas Meeham, and with music by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, it became an instant Broadway hit and has since spread to theatres around the globe, with its first show opening in London in 2015.
The premise is based around Buddy, a human who grew up at the North Pole thinking he was a Santa’s workshop elf. Sensing he was different, Buddy travelled to New York City to find his human family, only to find the outside world was more than he had bargained for. Seeing that people had lost their belief in the man in the red suit, Buddy unwittingly – and nearly single-handedly – brought Christmas spirit back to the Big Apple, saving the holiday and restoring faith in Father Christmas.
Now, this delightful musical theatre event is coming to Monaco for four shows in November. It will be performed in English with French subtitles.
The performances will be held in the Salle des Princes on 27th November at 2.30pm and 6.30pm, and at 7.30pm on 28th and 29th November. Tickets start at €31.
To reserve seats for your family in advance, click here.
Maserati MSG Racing secured a top 10 finish in the second leg of the double-header 2024 Shanghai E-Prix, with the team bouncing back from a difficult first race to score four points in China.
After losing a provisional ninth place finish in Race One, the team regrouped for Sunday and showcased renewed pace in a promising FP3 which saw Maximilian Günther set the fourth-fastest time.
For Qualifying, Max and his team-mate, Jehan Daruvala, completed their initial runs in Group A but despite displaying clear pace, missed out on the duels in one of the closest sessions of Season 10 so far.
With a 1:14.672 lap, Max missed out on the head-to-head stage by only 0.018 seconds to start 10th while Jehan, who was a mere 0.120 seconds shy of Max, qualified 16th.
Facing another peloton-style race ahead, energy saving was a top priority for the duo and when the race got underway, both set out to establish a consistent saving rhythm.
While Max held position on lap one, Jehan slipped to 18th but quickly recovered his lost ground by overtaking Sergio Sette Camara and Sacha Fenestraz on laps three and five.
Ahead, Max strategically fell out of the top 10 to build an energy advantage and pressed forward to eighth place before taking his first of two Attack Modes, rejoining in ninth.
On lap five, the 26-year-old overtook Jean-Eric Vergne to reclaim eighth in the first part of what would be a race-long battle with the DS Penske driver.
After pushing forward to overtake Mitch Evans for seventh, Max took his second Attack Mode on lap eight and continued to battle with Vergne when he rejoined the circuit and exchanged positions with the Frenchman for the next 12 laps.
Unfortunately, Vergne cleared Max on lap 20 and while Max remained a consistent threat, he was unable to regain the position and took a hard-fought eighth at the chequered flag. Jehan, meanwhile, finished 17th after losing time in an incident ahead.
Season 10 of the FIA Formula E World Championship will resume on 29th and 30th June for the 2024 Portland E-Prix – the penultimate race weekend of the current campaign.
Monaco Life met with Emeric Garcia to learn about his challenging new position as Director of Top Marques Monaco, and the novelties for the latest edition of this now prestigious paradise of supercars.
The highly anticipated 19th edition of Top Marques Monaco (TMM) will run from 5th to 9th June at the state-of-the-art Grimaldi Forum, with more than 25,000 visitors expected. This unique international luxury auto show, founded in 2004, is attended each year by the zenith of car brands and niche constructors. It is an open market for classics, supercars and hypercars, motorbikes, and superboats, the perfect forum for launching new models.
Since August 2018, Top Marques has been under the direction of Monaco Check-In, a prominent events company in the Principality. Deputy Chairman Salim Zeghdar successfully restored the show’s true essence, focusing on supercars. Upon assuming the role of Prince Albert’s Estate Controller, Salim Zeghdar handed over the reins to Emeric Garcia, who had demonstrated exceptional leadership within the organisation and is now at the helm of Top Marques 2024.
Emeric’s debut with Top Marques happened 13 years ago as a security guard. He went on to join the team as a salesperson responsible for the superboat department. “The following year, I was assigned to take care of the luxury products department and started to help the director at the time. I understood each sector of the event and became knowledgeable about every aspect of the show. The year after, they created a classic car section and later introduced a luxury sports car auction.” Emeric Garcia tells Monaco Life.
“It was very inspiring and motivating for me to work with Salim. In 2019, he allowed me to take care of those departments. It was not easy initially, but we have pushed the limit yearly through hard work from the team and me. Now, we offer an exceptional panel to all our visitors who come to the show.”
Top Marques 2023 showroom
The transition has run smoothly, with Emeric Garcia proudly hosting a press conference in early May to present the event at the Monte-Carlo Casino, promising an unprecedented number of Supercar world debuts.
“I feel very honoured to continue Salim’s vision and ensure that the Top Marques team and I can raise the quality of Top Marques every year,” says the director. “Our mission is threefold: To satisfy our clientele coming from all over the globe every year to see the latest supercars, rare classic cars, and the current innovation trends; to assure our exhibitors who have chosen Monaco and Top Marques as a podium to unveil their latest models; and to develop our innovation department and increase the number of eco-friendly vehicles at the show.”
Emeric is not shy in anticipating that this 19th edition of Top Marques will be the most accomplished ever, thanks to 13 launches versus five in 2023. They include NanoFlowcell, whowill present The New Quant, an electric vehicle that runs without a battery; Laffite Automobili will unveil their LM1, a street-legal hypercar inspired by the Le Mans prototypes of the 1970s and 1980s; Tedson Motors will present their daydream Targa, a Porsche Targa remastered from A to Z with 375hp, yours for the price of € 550 000; Bertone will show their GB110, a hypercar of 1100 hp which with a limited production of 33 specimens; McLaren will expose their McLaren Artura Spider; Aston Martin is coming with the new Vantag V8 665 hp; Engler Automotive will present the Engler V12 1000 hp new superquad; Porsche will present their new electric Macan and Taycan; Audi is showing their new Audi RS6 GT V8 biturbo 630hp; Pro Engineering & Design Treditech will unveil two cars, the Zorin Le Mans, and the Arerra; Eyelights will bring the Rocket One, a 100% electric motorbike at € 189,000; and Caroof Shore will uncover their new boat Abarth.
Top Marques Monaco, Lucas Scherrer Production 47, photo courtesy Top Marques Monaco
One of the main attractions of Top Marques again this year will be the second edition of l’Astarossa, organised by their partner MonacoCarAuctions on 8th June in the Verriere of the Grimaldi Forum, presenting an incredible catalog of emblematic Ferrari vehicles and collectible objects. “Approximately 60 classic cars will be on display for sale, and we have handpicked each one to present something very exclusive for our visitors,” reveals Emeric. To access the catalog and discover the lots for sale, visit https://monacocarauctions.com/vente-du-8-juin-2024
“Furthermore, we have exhibitors from more than 15 countries, with more than 190 vehicles. Most importantly, Top Marques has been chosen as one of the first places in Europe to see Tesla’s Cybertruck on display from Wednesday night through Thursday night.”
To satisfy the demands of their distinguished visitors, Top Marques will also have a dedicated area for watches and jewellery and a section reserved for automotive art. Several incredible superboats will grace the Esplanade.
Top Marques Monaco in the capital of luxury
Monaco is considered the international capital of luxury and is represented everywhere around the Principality, in its top-class hotels, gourmet restaurants, brand boutiques, high-end car companies, and more. Luxury brands are therefore extensively present in Monaco. “However, it has taken a lot of work during the last few years to gain the trust of our exhibitors. At the end of the last show, around 70% of the exhibitors reconfirmed their participation in 2024 due to the quality of the audience that came to the show. The Monegasques automobile groups are critical to us and represent around 20 luxury automobile brands.”
“When a potential buyer comes to the show, we must give them an unforgettable, unique experience.”
Top Marques 2023
The secret to success
“To be able to attract HNWI, you must make sure that supercar brands bring their latest models to the show so that visitors can see them in avant-première before their general release,” says Emeric. “The same goes for new transport innovations and exceptional classic cars. When a potential buyer comes to the show, we must give them an unforgettable, unique experience.”
So, what exactly is a supercar and a hypercar? “A supercar is a type of automobile generally described as a street-legal, luxury superlative performance sports car, both in terms of power, speed, and handling. A hypercar is originally made to be used on a closed circuit. Still, they have been homologated to be street legal and are more powerful, luxurious, expensive, and made in limited edition.”
“At Top Marques, you can also admire vehicles from another era in the classic section, reminding you of a time in your past, an emotional voyage that brings back incredible memories. You continue your visit, immersing yourself in the supercar area, many of which have been inspired by the classic cars you have just seen. Finally, you can see innovative vehicles, which will be the transport of tomorrow.”
The five most prestigious auto shows, sometimes called the Big Five, are generally considered to be held in Frankfurt, Geneva, Detroit, Paris, and Tokyo, plus several shows in every continent, each serving as inspiration for Top Marques Monaco. “When I travel around the globe to visit events and scout for new products, I am very open-minded and see the potential in each event,” reveals Emeric. “The key to success, in my perspective, is to question yourself every year and to update the show in line with trends.”
Top Marques 2023
On track for a stellar 2024 event
Organisers are expecting more than 25,000 people at Top Marques this year, and as of today, they have sold almost double the number of tickets compared to last year.
The aim now, says Emeric Garcia, is to grow the brand globally. “It is the perfect event to duplicate on each continent, so our objective is to export the show abroad and to keep improving the one in Monaco with every new edition.”
